"So you used that anti-roll technology from the pre-apocalypse RV that cost seventeen million? The one that keeps the vehicle from flipping?" Jing Shu's eyes lit up as she stepped closer to the massive tires, her fingers tracing the heavy-duty suspension. She had worried that the RV was too tall and heavy and might flip when climbing steep, uneven terrain. She hadn't expected Su Xiangnan to be this thoughtful about her safety.
She remembered that the anti-roll system was one of the primary selling points of that most expensive RV.
Da Shi nodded. He smoothed the front of his jacket and gestured toward the reinforced chassis. "Rest assured, we only use the best RSC tech available right now. A vehicle this tall and big is difficult to tune. We spent a full month to get it perfect. Your RV already has all-terrain capabilities and excellent grip at sharp angles. With this stability system added, it can climb a sixty-degree slope without trouble. You can call it true all-terrain now."
Jing Shu nodded, half understanding and half dazzled by the technical specs.
Da Shi pointed at the twelve wings etched onto the body. "This is the second gift from Boss Su. For greater safety, these twelve welded rectangular pods are filled with compressed natural gas during normal use. Rest assured, we only use the highest-capacity tanks available. They can power twenty-four-hour heating and hot-water circulation for the entire RV, plus cooking, for three months straight."
Jing Shu's mouth fell open in delight. This was wonderful. That solved the energy problem she worried about most. Even if it hit minus seventy outside, they wouldn't freeze inside the cabin.
But she also heard the subtext in his explanation. "So what do these pods do when it isn't everyday use?"
Da Shi lowered his voice. He leaned in slightly, his expression secretive. "In critical moments, like when the RV is about to roll or falls into a pit, the onboard radar system we upgraded will detect the danger. When the side radars sense an imminent rollover, in just 0.1 seconds the pods deploy into arched safety frames with wheels. They form hexagonal supports.
Those supports can even keep the RV moving while it's overturned. They will carry it forward until it reaches a safe zone, then help lever the RV upright. There is also a rocket-ejection escape system. It is single-use and causes significant wear. Do not trigger it unless you are truly stuck."
Jing Shu nodded slowly. The recoil on something like that had to be intense. Da Shi did not just explain the theory; he also pressed a control on a handheld remote to pop open the RV's side wings so she could see them directly. Each side held six rectangular pods, linked in pairs, each with wheel-like supports made of some unknown material designed to absorb impact. Together they formed a rigid hexagonal frame to bear the weight on that side of the RV.
It spread out like a giant, metallic spiderweb around the vehicle.
"Incredible. If the RV rolls, it can still drive using the side wings. If both sides deploy, it won't sink into a swamp either. But those arms look only as thick as my forearm. Can they really support something this heavy?"
Da Shi nodded confidently. "First, the hexagon is the most stable load-bearing geometry, so the structure resists failure. Second, rest assured, we only use the best material available: graphene. It is a chain of thousands of alternating atoms. It is many times tougher than diamond and over a hundred times stronger than steel. Its performance is stable and practically indestructible."
Jing Shu nodded again. She did not need to understand every scientific detail. If the pieces were small but rock solid, that was enough. They were using the best available materials, and that set her at ease.
"The front-end refit was done by Chu Zhuohua," Da Shi continued. He walked toward the front of the truck. "He converted it to a hybrid of fuel and electricity and reserved space on the roof for bacterial solar panels. Power won't be as strong as before, and the top speed is only about 60 km/h."
He led her up to the cab. The cab used to be sealed off from the living area. But when Yang Yang drove it back then, someone fired a shot that pierced the passenger seat. They removed the passenger seat and turned that space into a passage with a folding bed.
Jing Shu's first impression upon stepping inside was one word: lavish. Chu Zhuohua had taken the task seriously and redid the entire interior. The cabin that had been dilapidated when they brought it back from the United States now looked brand new.
"Because we added a second level over both the RV and the cab, we didn't get involved with the other functions and modifications. You can explore those yourself. But please come to the second-level cab. I will explain a few things. This way, please." Da Shi stood on the passenger-side passage. There was a round lift platform about 80 by 80. He pressed a button, and the lift rose steadily to the second floor. A steel rod ran beneath the platform, so it didn't eat into the cab's space.
"Holy shit. My RV has an elevator." As the platform rose and fell, Jing Shu was carried from the first level straight to the second.
This was what she had ordered: her bedroom on the second level. She felt a flicker of excitement in her chest. Soft warm lights filled the RV, and she finally saw her future bedroom clearly. The most striking feature was a sweeping curved pane of glass that covered two-thirds of the front.
"Although it's a bedroom, it's fitted with 270-degree panoramic metal-reinforced bulletproof glass. Rest assured, we only use the hardest, best glass in the world. It also doubles as a watchtower and comes with a high-intensity spotlight that can illuminate more than five hundred meters. There's a one-person elevator straight to the cab. The bedroom has a single bed measuring 1.8 by 1.2 meters that flips into a desk, plus a sofa with a tea table, a storage room, and a multi-function area."
The best was exactly what she wanted. It was very reassuring.
Jing Shu stroked the cold surface of the glass. The view from this height was gorgeous. It was a pity the apocalypse had left everything pitch-black, though that hardly affected her mood. She tapped on the glass with her knuckles. The famed metal glass didn't look much different from standard panes, but she really liked this bedroom.
In the fifth year, when the heavy snows came, everything outside would be a sea of white. She could sit on the sofa by the tea table, sip hot milk tea, and watch that vast white world. It would be beautiful.
The RV would roll on, and she would watch from five meters up, warm and well fed in the apocalypse. In the mornings she would open her eyes to forests of ice sculptures and strange plants glazed with snow, all sliding backward outside the window. Unlike ordinary RVs that felt stifling and windowless, this was actually wonderful.
She loved this open view, and she loved the décor too. Everything was classic and refined in ivory white, with warm lighting, natural wood furniture, and newly installed floor heating and central air. The comfort and aesthetics had been greatly improved.
"That's all for Boss Su's surprises. If there's nothing else, I will take my leave. Rest assu—"
Jing Shu looked at the young man with a small goatee and smiled. "Alright, I really am reassured. Please thank Boss Su for me. I truly love these surprises."
If he said rest assured any more, she might start feeling the opposite.